1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of replacing an atmosphere of a chamber apparatus. The chamber apparatus is for housing or containing therein a workpiece processing apparatus in a manner capable of performing maintenance work, and the workpiece processing apparatus is required to carry out the processing of a workpiece such as a substrate in an inert gas atmosphere. This invention also relates: to the chamber apparatus; to an electro-optic apparatus provided with the chamber apparatus; and also to an organic electroluminescent (EL) device.
2. Description of Related Art
In a conventional chamber apparatus for use in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, or the like, in which the workpiece processing is carried out in an atmosphere of an inert gas, the atmosphere of the inert gas inside a chamber is replaced with (or changed for) outside air (open air or atmospheric air) to secure safety for the worker (e.g., to prevent him from suffering from oxygen deficiency) at the time of feeding and taking out the workpiece, or a similar job. The replacing of the inert gas with the outside air is ordinarily carried out by vacuum suction of the inert gas inside the chamber.
In this kind of conventional chamber apparatus, since the replacing of the inert gas with the outside air is carried out by vacuum suction, there is a problem in that a relatively long time is required and that the inert gas is likely to remain therein. Especially, in a chamber apparatus having a large volume, the time required to replace the inert gas with the outside air is estimated to have a large effect on the tact time in the manufacture of the semiconductor device.
This invention provides a method of replacing an atmosphere in a chamber apparatus with outside air, the method being capable of efficiently replacing an atmosphere of an inert gas inside the chamber room of the chamber apparatus with outside air at a short time. This invention also provides a chamber apparatus, an electro-optic apparatus provided with the chamber apparatus, and an organic electroluminescent (EL) device.